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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
I would give this a 3.5 but of course Gr doesn’t have that as an option. I did like this story, I laughed aloud at some things, and it really was a light read. For me it hits only as almost a four star book. I wouldn’t read it again, but I read more books by this author.
A random @bookoutlet add, and a suuuuuper fast read for today! A whole series of false starts and missteps and misunderstandings, all in a YA context and a London setting, with the classic tropes and stereotypes. Not a fave.
More 4.5 stars - this book was SO GOOD. I love how it alternates between Hannah and Sam's perspectives. I really like the voice of both characters and the descriptions of certain scenes had me stifling my laughter on the train.
DNF’d at page 67. Not a good one. I only got about a quarter in or so and there were two remarks that were not cool and made me uncomfortable.
It was nothing spectacular, but it's a good enough summery read.
This was a fine summer, romance book. The two main characters are plenty likable, though without particular defining qualities. I thought that the cast of secondary characters was actually preferable to the two main characters, with some in particular being really entertaining. I loved that the idea of sex wasn't avoided in this book, and that that pressure was not ignored, but explored. I did find that some of the portrayals of female friendship could've been improved, and there were some conflicts that I would've loved to see developed more. That all being said, this was a fun and funny read and I did enjoy it.
Hannah and Sam have one amazing conversation in the bathroom at a party. That amazing conversation leads to a summer of losing and finding each other, misunderstandings galore, and lots of ridiculous drama.
Spoilers Discussion!
Okay, so do people in England have College Board exams? Because I don't think they do? Especially because what we in America think of as "college" is what they call "university." And I think College Board is what the people transferring it to the American version thought would be most relatable to American students, but there aren't any tests called "College Board exams"? Like, that was not at all relatable to me, it was really confusing? They should've just left it as whatever the actual tests are called because it was really easy to figure out what the tests were supposed to do without adding the confusion of "College Board."
ANYWAY, that's not super relevant to the book as a whole.
I wish that we'd had a little bit less of an insta-love situation. I feel like more than just a conversation for them to get to know each other would've been nice. As is, it felt like a lot of build-up about… nothing kind of. I think a more apt ending, honestly, would've been for her and Pax to get together, or something. Basically, I do agree that there are some people who will fall in love at the drop of a hat, but I don't think it's appropriate for that romance to turn out well (or just, y'know, turn out.) I just wasn't into the romance, basically. I liked her a lot more with both Pax and Caspar (though I did also really like that she and Caspar were just straight up friends and nothing more. Also, now that I think about it, Pax was kind of a terrible person who was hooking up with someone who thought that he liked her when he actually liked her friend. I don't really know, to be honest. But I didn't like her and Sam.)
Wanna know who I did like? ROBIN. Robin was great. He is the kind of hilarious side character that I'm always really into, and I loved a lot of his ridiculous things and I loved how confident he was in everything that he said. I loved the threesome bit and all the outfit bits and he was just super hilarious and lovable.
The relationship with Stella was interesting. I think that they were both kind of at fault, honestly. Like the dress thing. I don't hate Stella for liking a dress and not also taking the time to ask all of her friends if they also liked the dress. Like, I get that it's annoying, but I also think that Hannah could've mentioned at the beginning that she also really liked the dress! That being said, Stella also did tell Freddie that Hannah wanted to have sex with her, and kicked her out of the room for Pax etc etc. So I think they were both at fault, and I would've really loved an actual conversation between the two of them. Or a demonstration of really positive female friendship between Hannah and her other friends?
We did have some side characters who I thought were really unnecessary. I didn't really think that we needed either of Sam and Hannah's other friends besides Robin and Stella. The extra characters just kind of took up time that I would've preferred to see on developing Sam and Hannah's relationship, or letting Robin have some kind of hilarious gags, etc etc.
I did like the sex positive attitude of the whole book. I think that the expectation that everyone will have sex before college (or university) is a real expectation, and I like that this book confronts that head on. Also, it doesn't act like sex is a terrible thing, which an important thing.
I would maybe read another book by these authors? This was certainly a fine book!
Fin!
Fun, cute, but flawed: 85%
Hannah and Sam have one amazing conversation in the bathroom at a party. That amazing conversation leads to a summer of losing and finding each other, misunderstandings galore, and lots of ridiculous drama.
Spoilers Discussion!
Okay, so do people in England have College Board exams? Because I don't think they do? Especially because what we in America think of as "college" is what they call "university." And I think College Board is what the people transferring it to the American version thought would be most relatable to American students, but there aren't any tests called "College Board exams"? Like, that was not at all relatable to me, it was really confusing? They should've just left it as whatever the actual tests are called because it was really easy to figure out what the tests were supposed to do without adding the confusion of "College Board."
ANYWAY, that's not super relevant to the book as a whole.
I wish that we'd had a little bit less of an insta-love situation. I feel like more than just a conversation for them to get to know each other would've been nice. As is, it felt like a lot of build-up about… nothing kind of. I think a more apt ending, honestly, would've been for her and Pax to get together, or something. Basically, I do agree that there are some people who will fall in love at the drop of a hat, but I don't think it's appropriate for that romance to turn out well (or just, y'know, turn out.) I just wasn't into the romance, basically. I liked her a lot more with both Pax and Caspar (though I did also really like that she and Caspar were just straight up friends and nothing more. Also, now that I think about it, Pax was kind of a terrible person who was hooking up with someone who thought that he liked her when he actually liked her friend. I don't really know, to be honest. But I didn't like her and Sam.)
Wanna know who I did like? ROBIN. Robin was great. He is the kind of hilarious side character that I'm always really into, and I loved a lot of his ridiculous things and I loved how confident he was in everything that he said. I loved the threesome bit and all the outfit bits and he was just super hilarious and lovable.
The relationship with Stella was interesting. I think that they were both kind of at fault, honestly. Like the dress thing. I don't hate Stella for liking a dress and not also taking the time to ask all of her friends if they also liked the dress. Like, I get that it's annoying, but I also think that Hannah could've mentioned at the beginning that she also really liked the dress! That being said, Stella also did tell Freddie that Hannah wanted to have sex with her, and kicked her out of the room for Pax etc etc. So I think they were both at fault, and I would've really loved an actual conversation between the two of them. Or a demonstration of really positive female friendship between Hannah and her other friends?
We did have some side characters who I thought were really unnecessary. I didn't really think that we needed either of Sam and Hannah's other friends besides Robin and Stella. The extra characters just kind of took up time that I would've preferred to see on developing Sam and Hannah's relationship, or letting Robin have some kind of hilarious gags, etc etc.
I did like the sex positive attitude of the whole book. I think that the expectation that everyone will have sex before college (or university) is a real expectation, and I like that this book confronts that head on. Also, it doesn't act like sex is a terrible thing, which an important thing.
I would maybe read another book by these authors? This was certainly a fine book!
Fin!
Fun, cute, but flawed: 85%
A totally awkward love story indeed. This novel really captures what it's like trying to find "that guy" that you want to "fall in love" with, meeting new people, and being with your life long friends, all while waiting to get your college tests results. I think that a lot of young adults can and will be able to relate to these characters that Ivison and Ellen have created. The honesty and reality of the story is something that is truly rare and that you don't often see in YA novels. It's a very different and hilarious read that I think all age groups can enjoy.
In het begin vond ik het maar een beetje een raar boek en ik had geen idee waar het verhaal nou eigenlijk naar toe ging. Toen ik eenmaal wat verder was toen las het lekker door en was het heel erg leuk om te lezen, ook al is het een vrij voorspelbaar boek.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes